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'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE.

CHARLES FAUL, 013 ST. KILDA, AND HENRY LAVERS, OF SURREY HILLS; VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MINERALS SEPARATION NORTH AMERICAN CORPQRATION.

SEPARATION OF MIXED SULFID ORES.

No Drawing.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES FAUL, of Moola, St. Leonards avenue, St. Kilda, metallurgical engineer and HENRY Lnvnns of Canterbury road, Surrey Hills, metallurgist, both in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, subjects of the King of England, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Separation of Mixed Sulfid Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in or relating to the separation of mixed sulfid ores by flotation and refers to fractional or differential flotation of certain sulfids such as zinc sulfids (blende) from other sulflds such as lead sulfid (galena).

This present invention relates to certain improvements in what is commonly known as froth flotation separation in which the ores are subjected to agitation or aeration or agitation and aeration in an aqueous liquid producing a scum or froth of one or more of the metallic sulflds.

We have discovered that the differential or preferential effect of the aforesaid method of separation is affected by the presence of a copper material such as metallic copper or a compound of copper.

This invention therefore comprises certain improvements in the separation of mixed sulfid ores in which the said ores are subjected to flotation separation with agitation or aeration or agitation and aeration in the presence of a copper material such as metallic copper or a compound of copper for obtaining differential or preferential float concentrates relatively rich in certain sulfids such as zinc sulfid (blende).

This invention is applicable to various modifications of the agitation froth flotation processes for effecting a differential or preferential float of the zinc sulfids such as that in which an alkaline medium or circuit water is employed having a bichromate of an alkali metal in solution.

In adapting this invention to the ordinary agitation froth flotation process the ordinary apparatus of that process such as disclosed in Patent No. 979,857 of December 27, 1910, or No. 1,064,209 of June 10, 1913, or No. 1,084,196 of January 13,- 1914:, may

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Apr. 1% 1921.

Application filed March 12, 1915. Serial No. 14,015.

be lined With copper or an alloy containing copper or the apparatus itself may be constructed of this metal or alloy or alternativelythe metal may be placed in the apparatus in any convenient form or way be introduced with the circuit or pulp in the form of finely divided metal or compound.

Laboratory vessels for froth flotation experiments which are usually formed of glass Wood or iron have on occasion as a matter of convenience been constructed of copper. It has not been previously realized that the copper played any part in the preferential or differential separation and our discovery lies in the fact that with many ores the presence of the metallic copper or its equivalent is essential to a good separation of zinc sulfid (blende) from lead sulfld (galena) or other sulfids or from lead sulfid (galena) and other sulfids.

The following examples illustrate an application of this invention 1. 250 lbs. of a mixed zinc and lead sulfid ore assaying 31.5% zinc 13.5% iron and 7.8% lead were subjected to flotation separation with agitation and aeration at a temperature of M0 F. with an amount of eucalyptus oil equivalent to one half lb. per ton of ore treated in a circuit water contain ing 0.1% of potassium bichromate the thickness of the pulp being in about the proportion of one of ore to four of water by weight. The separating vessel was built of wood and lined with copper. A float concentrate assaying 50% zinc 72% iron and 6.9% lead was obtained and a residue assaying 7 .3% zinc 20.9% iron and 8.1% lead.

2. A mixed zinc, iron and lead sulfid ore assaying zinc 32% iron 15% and lead 8% was subjected to flotation separation with agitation and aeration at a temperature of about 130 l. with an amount of cresol equivalent to one half (3;) lb. per ton of ore treated in circuit water containing in solution 0.1% of potassium bichromate the thickness of the pulp being in about the proportion of one of ore to four of water by weight. An amount of carbonate of copper equivalent to 1.0% of the ore was added to and agitated with the mixture. A float concentrate assaying zinc 53% iron 6% and lead 4% was obtained and a residue containing the bulk of the iron and lead sulfids;

Other experiments have been performed in which similar separations have been etfected of the zinc sulfld (blende) from lead sulfld (galena) in other circuit water such as in water containing sodium carbonate or sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen sullid in which the presence of the metallic copper was obtained by lining the apparatus with the metal.

Similar results have been obtained by the use of other compounds of copper such as oxids or suliids or carbonates and metallic copper has been introduced in the form of scrap or filings.

1. A process for the concentration of a mixed sulfld ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in the presence of a copper material and a bi chromate of an alkaline metal, to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in certain sulfids and a residue relatively rich in other sulflds.

2. A process for the concentration of a mixed sulfid ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in a pulp containing a small proportion of a mineralutrothing agent and in the presence of a copper material and a bichromate of an alkaline metal, to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in certain sulflds and a residue relatively rich in other sulfids.

3. A process for the concentration of a mixed sulfid ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation. and employing the presence and influence oil" a copper material to vary the relative floatability of different sulflds to assist in obtaining a float concentrate relatively rich in certain sulflds and a residue relatively rich in other sulflds, under conditions which, normally, without the said selective influence of the copper, would not produce said selec tive action.

4. A process for the concentration of a mixed sulfld ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in a pulp containing a small proportion of a mineral-frothing agent, and employing the presence and influence of a copper material to vary the relative floatability of different sulflds to assist in obtaining a float concentrate relatively rich in certain sulflds and a residue relatively rich in other sulflds, under conditions which, normally, without the said selective influence of the copper, would not produce said selective action.

5. A process for the concentration of a zinc-lead sulfld ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation seoar tion, and employing the presence and influence of a copper material to assist in obtaining a float concentrate relatively rich in zincsulfid and a residue relatively rich in lead sulfid, under conditions which normally, without the said selective inflence of the copper, would tend to float the said zinc sulfld in a lesser proportion.

6. A process for the concentration of a zinc-lead sulfid ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in a pulp containing a small proportion of a mineral-frothing agent, and employing the presence and influence of a copper material to assist in obtaining a float concentrate relatively rich in Zinc sullid and a residue relatively rich in lead sulfld, under conditions which normally, without the said selective influence of the copper, would tend to float the said zinc snlfld in a lesser proportion.

7. A process for the concentration of a zinc-lead sulfid ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in a pulp containing a small proportion of a mineral-frothing agent, and employing the presence and influence of metallic copper to assist in obtaining a float concentrate relatively rich in zinc sulfld and a residue relatively rich in lead sulfid.

8. A process for the concentration of a zinc-lead sulfld ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in a pulp containing a small proportion of eucalyptus oil, and employing the presence and influence of metallic copper to assist in obtaining a float concentrate relatively rich in zinc sulfld and a residue relatively rich in lead sulfid.

9. A process for the concentration of a zinc-lead sulfld ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth-flotation separation in a pulp containing a small proportion of eucalyptus oil and a small proportion of a bichromate of an alkali metal, and in the presence o1 metallic copper to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in zinc sulfld and residue relatively rich in lead sulfid.

10. A process for the concentration of a mixed sulfld ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth flotation separation in the presence of a copper material and a bichromate of an alkaline metal, to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in certain sulfids and a residue relatively rich in other sulflds.

11. A process for the concentration of a mixed zinc-lead sulfid ore which consists in submitting such an ore to froth flotation separation while employing the presence and influence of a copper material to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in zinc sulfld and a residue relatively rich in lead sulfid, under conditions which normally, without the selective influence of said copper, would tend to float the said zinc sulfid in a lesser proportion.

12. A process for concentrating the zinc sulfid in an ore also containing other sulfld, whlch consists in submlttlng such an ore to froth flotation separation while employing the presence and influence of a copper material to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in Zinc sullid and a residue relatively rich in the other suliid, under conditions which normally, without the selective influence of said copper material, would tend to float the zinc sulfid in a lesser proportion.

13. A. process for concentrating the zinc sulfld in an ore also containing other sullid, which consists in submitting such an ore to froth flotation separation While employing the presence and influence of a copper material to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in zinc sulfld and a residue relatively rich in the other sulfid, under conditions which normally, without the selective influence of said copper material, would tend to float the zinc sulfld in a lesser proportion.

ii. A process for concentrating the zinc sulfid in an ore also containing other sulfid, which consists in submitting such an ore to froth flotation separation While employing the presence and influence of metallic copper to obtain a float concentrate relatively rich in zinc sulfid and a residue relatively rich in the other sulfid, under conditions which normally, without the selective influence of said metallic copper, would tend to float the zinc sulfid in a lesser proportion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES FAUL.

Witnesses:

D. C. MARSHALL, JNo. M. KNIGHT.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY LAVERS.

Witnesses:

OLEM A. HART, G. L. CULLEN. 

